Engine



June 26, 1928. 1,675,129

w.4 F. PAUL I ENGINE Filed Jan.1e. 1922 e sheets-sheet 2 vf 57 y F59' Z I 'y 7 4 i 4 q, l A /6/84 l /5 i lll June 26, 1928.

' 1,675,129 w. F. PAUL ENGINE yFiled J I. 1s. 1922 e sheets-sheet s June 26, 192s. 1,675,129

W. F. PAUL ENGINE Filed Jan. 16, 1922 6 Sheet-Sheei 4 June 26, 1928. 1,675,129

w. F. PAUL l ENGINE Filed Jan. 16, 1922 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 26, 1928. p

UN ITE!) .ST ATES` WiLLIAM F. Penner PHILAnELrHIA, ENNSYLVANIA;

ENGINE.

Applicationl ined. january 16, .1922. seria-r N0.*529;41fe; Y

My invention relates to improvements in engines ot' the rotary, expansion type,and has Ptor its object the provision rof an engine having certain novel and improved features of construction hereinafter 'fully set forth and illustrated in 'the attached drawings, in which: f 4

Figure 1., is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 1-1-, Fig. of abi-unit engine made in accordance with my' invention;

F ig. 2, is a transverse section through one of the units on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a transverse section on the line 3 3, `Fig. 1, showingin sideelevation one of the power units and illustrating the valve gear mechanism;

Fig. 4, is afsectionalview -on the line. 4 4, Fig. 2, ot a head chest olf the machine illustrating the details of thel reversing throttle and steam cut-oil" valves;V Y

5, is a horizontal.'section on the line 5 5, Fig, 1, illustrating the details vof the reversing mechanism;

Fig. 6', is a 7transverse section on the line (546, Fig; 1, showingin elevation thefopposite side ot the power unit illustrated in vFig, m

Figs; 7, 8 and 9, are, respectively, rear, front and` end viewsot one of the lsteam heads illustrating detailsl oit construction thereof', and

Fig. 10, lis an end view or one of the rotor pistons illustrating the method of application of. the'wearing plate.

With reference to the drawings, my `machine comprises abcd-plate 1, upon which the engine mounted, said enginecomprising further a casing 2 constituting a housing tor a rotor 4. As clearly illustrated, the rotor 4 is of such dimension and. is so mounted'V in the casingas to provide an` annular space or chamber' i2 around lthe periphery ci? vthe rotor-for theapplication 'of steam, said rotor being provided withk pistons5 and 40 projecting from the periphery,

which pistons travel andy 'operate in the said annular chamber. l

As best shown in Fig. 1, the casing 2, -t-he head 3, .and the rotor are so 'formed as to providetiir'the insertion oit ring, steam packing 6', one at each side of the rotor, said paclrngs being fastened, in rings 7 attached respectively to the casing and the 'casing head and slidingxiu rings 8 attached to the rotor. Concentric grooves 9, 9, are alsoprovided lin the opposite faces'o't therotor to form a condensate seal between the rotor and the casing, Y f

As `best shown inI Fige'fl, the lrotorsll are mounted upona sli-aft 1Y0, toA which they are 60 secured by keys 11, the shaft 10 being sulp ported by lpedestal -bearings 12', 12, andl'in the. vcasing 2 and4 the removable head" 3 of.

each power unit. Y

At the top oi the casing 2 is ahead chest 13 which isl :formed in the interior with a pair of passagesv 13a which extend inward-lis,`V from the upper end of said head andi Wlich communicate with recesSesfor chambers 1531 in the lower portion of the chest and' which 7o are respectively adapted tolreceive `portions r ot a pair of pivotally mounted and abutments 14, 14, the construction et which is clearly illustrated in Figs. 7 Slandf; rlll-1e v abutments '14 are carried by shaft-'ts 14a, 14, which are mounted in the top 015 the casing 2, and between the said casing andthe chest 13, said abutlnents beingrprovide'd with a solid main portion 14b and a rearward extension `140, whichl extensions are -adaptedto occuppy the respective chambers 13b of the head chest and which vare provided ateach side withl a stoppin or lug 60 adapted to move in arcuate slots 13c formed in the sides ot the respective chambers 13", saidV slots and stops 60 limiti-ng the travel in both direcn tions ofthe abutments 14., aswell as. taking the totallworking load?,

As best shown in Fig; .2, provision ismade in the upper part of the casing4 2v tor the reception of' the mainporti'ons 141 of the abutments14, and? as shown the sides ofythe portion 141 are formed. ontheareotafcircle correspondingA in diameter to the outside diameter ot the annular steam space` 2 within the casing, so 'that when the. abutment is swung =up into` inoperative position, the lower tace thereofcon-forms accurately with that surface of the casing .forming the outer wall of the said chamber 2.-

It will further be 'noted 'by reference to Fig. 2, that the abutments14 are adaptedlto swingi downwardlyinto a position in'I which Vthe main portion 1&4 extendsv across and effectually blocks the chamber 2?, and. v'the 101:-, abut'ments are provided with an aperture v1141 y which extends through the rearward-extension 14c in such` manner asto provide aA clear passage from the chambers 13b intoV the chamber 2a ofT the casing.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 7, 8V and' 9, the abutments 14 are provided With packing 1 the valve chest, as will or seal plates 56 and 59. respectively in the outer face and the side faces of the portion 14", the plate 56 roviding for a seal between the periphery ofP the rotor and the adjacent face of the abutment, and the plates 59, 59, forming a seal between the sides of the abutment and the sides of the casing.

Mountedat the top of the head chest 13 is a valve chest 15 having a cover 16, said cover having therein an aperture 26 through which steam is admitted to the interior of be described hereinafter.l

1n the top of the valve chest 15 is a chamber 15- from the base of which extend passages 15b and 15c communicating respectively with the channels 13, l31ofthe head chest 13. lVithin the chamber 15*l is slidably mounted a reversing valve 18, which is adapted in different positions to cover either one or both of the passages 15 and 15C, said valve being operated in a manner hereinafter described to open one or other and close either one or both of the said passages. A sprin 18l is provided on the top of the valve 18, w ich spring is adapted to bear against the inner face of the cover .1 6 to retain the valve firmly to the fioor of the chamber 15a.

Mounted in suitable chambers or recesses in the valve chest 15 below7 the chamber 15 area pair of cutoff valves 17, 17, said valves .being adapted to control respectively the opening and closing ol the passages 15b and 15C. y l e As best'shown inFig. 4, the valves 17 and the chambers which they occupy are substantially conical in shape, the Valves being provided with through passages 17L which, as the valves are turned, are alternately brought into and out of registration with the passages wliich the valves control, thereby i openingandlclosing the passages.

sAs best shown in Fig. 4, the valves 17 have at theirsmaller ends a projection which abuts a. ball thrust bearing 42, which latter can be adjusfedby means of a set screw 43, and locked in position by means of a nut 44, the large ends ofthe valves having grooved ball endthrust bearings`45 backed by steam packing 46 compressible by means of a screw-tight gland 47 and a metal friction washer 48.

Each `of the valves17 has extending through the gland 47 a stem 17 b, the stem of e cam faces 64 of a cam wheel 19 mounted upon and fixed to the shaft '1.0, the cam surface 64 being such that the valves are oscillated to l'open and cut off the respective passages 15b and 15c at the of the rotor.

The cam wheels 19, 19, are also employed to operate the swinging abutmentsi14. The shafts 14a upon which these abutments are mounted extend through the casing 2, and each has fixed thereto and at opposite sides of the casing an arm or lever 41 which carries a cam roller 41a adapted res ectively4 to engage the cam surfaces 65 of their respective cam wheels 19, these cam surfaces as the wheels revolve alternately elevating the Vabutment to permit the passage thereby of the pistons 5 and 40 of the rotor, and thereafter allowing the abutment to move downwardly to the operative position closing the chamber 2. The lower endsV of the levers 41 are adapted when the abutments are moved downwardly into operative position to engage a spring-engaged plunger 63, which is mounted in a suitable casing 63a on the sides of the casing,this plunger taking up the shock of the impact as the abutment reaches the end of its downward travel.

i Mountedr in the head chest 13 and extendproperpoints in the revolution ing therethrough is a shaft24, which shaft 6, these arms 24 are adapted, when the shaft is rotated, to elevate one or other of the said arms 41, depending on the direction of rotation of the said shaft, this having the effect of elevating into an inoperative position one or other of the abutments 14. The shaft 24 has thereon a wormwheel 23, and a lateral shaft 21 is provided mounted in the present instance on cross beams 22, 22, extending between the casings 2 of two power units, which shaft carries a worm 20 meshing with the worm wheel 23 and having at one end a hand wheel 21 for manually rotating the shaft. By means of this arrangement, one or other of the said abutments 14 can be rendered inoperative, depending on the i rection of rotation desired for the rotor.

It will be noted that each of the chambers 13b in the head chest 13 is provided with a relief valve 62,v which relief valve is ordinarily closed, but which, when the respective heads are raised into an inoperative position, are adapted to be engaged and opened by the respective associated levers 41.

The casing 2 is provided at each side with an exhaust port 33 and 34 respectively, said ports being controlled b Yrotary valves 35 and 36 respectively, suita ly mounted in the casing 2, said valves each having? a stem extending through the casing, which Stems have secured thereto at the outside of the casing a lever arm 35a and 36a respectively. An arm 66 is fixed to the shaft 24 and has normas attachedi at each end thereof aconnecting rod 66a, which respectively are attached; tel the arms a and 36' of' the exhaust valves 325i and 36. The arrangement is such that' as the sha-it 24: is oscilla-ted' tofbri'ng one ot' the abutments'ld intoalot-ion and render the other inoperative, the valves of lthe exhaust ports are simultaneously operated to close oneexhaust and to* open the other.

The valve 18 has attached thereto a rod 19t which extends through the side ot the Valvechest 1-5 and". which is connected by means otl au linl; toan alrm 51 upon a spindle l52, which spindle mountedf' inf suitablebearings in a bracket 53 secured to the sidel ot the head chest 13'. The spindle has fixed thereto an operating lever 37, which lever has a spring-actuated pawl adapted to engage av'toothed segment 55 to retainthe lever inany one of three desired positions. By means of the lever 37, the

spindle 52 may be oscillated to. lshift ythel valve"18 to any desired position, the detent 54 and the slotted segment 55 being `adapted to holdthe lever 37 in three]differentr positions in which the passages 15b and', l135c are both closed, or one closed? and the other opened, as 'previouslyl explained# As best shown in VFig;v `10", the rotary ipistons 5 anda() are provlded'wit'h seal plates 69 and 691L extending respectively from the outer end of *the pistonswand trom'lfthe side faces', said seal plates l'functioningxto lseal the joints.` between the outer "end andV the sides of thepiston andl the casing.

The opera-tion of the device is as follows-1 Steam is admittedv to the valve chest lthrough the open-ing- 26 and is directed by means ot t'he valve 18 to` oneor other of the cut-o valves 17, and thencel through the passage 13n and the chamber 13p, andy "through 'the opening 14@ of thek swingingl abutment '14 into the annular chamber 2a. `Power is thus applied -to the rotor piston 5. When the rotor has advanced througliga given partv :of

its revolution, the roller 311 on the bell crank l lever 29 passes ol'l'the elevationonthey cam suriace 64, thereby closing 'the' cut-off valve 17 and allowing expansion `of the steam Ito continue the power stroke y'untilA the rotor pistonreaches the' port 33, which remains open to the condenser. 'Exhaust of the steam through this port and? where a condenser is employedvcondensa-tum of' the steaml creates vacuumassisting in5 the power stroke` Asv previously stated, While the valve 35' remains open, the valve 36'remains closed. y

As the piston 4() approaches the abutment' Mathe cam surface actinglupon the roller 41@ of the lever 41 aets to-elevate the abutment' into= inoperative position and' to retain it` thus during the time that Vthe pistons 40 'andy 5 are passing the abutment position, ater whichl the-abutment is again permitted shaftoperates the controlleveryQ to-fraise oney or other got the .heads 14: and to hold; it securely .in the .inoperative lposition through the. levers eel, the latter levers effeetingwthe opening off the-.relief valve 62. Simultaneously Withftheuraiising of oneof' the abut? ments, the other abutment by reason of the oscillation olf the shaft is brought into Y operation, .ait'lter which they lever 37. isy shifted to more the value 18- to a` position. closing onefot4 the steam. passages 15. or lcarad opening-tlmother;

ot the rotore-:is shifted. from that indicated by the arrow in` Figi?. tothe opposite. In

, Supposingthat the directionuol" rotation this instanee-,;1the sliaziit 24: is rotated to raise the' abutment 14 and toflower the abutment 39,0tl1iis oscrllati on', of theI rshaft 24 resulting the :pistons: 5f and? 40, best. shown in Fig; 2,

whereby in case the rotor -is moved. by 4ex(- ternazlf means; in direction the reverse of that forfwhichi the controls are set, the-shock ot" the engagement between the pistons and the abutments is brought. to bear on the swinging abutment shalt 141, lthuseliminsn'ipossible ,cll'amaige to the'y 'abutments :themseLves.A y

As: illustratedy in, Fig; 1, the; machine in .ther present instance is' shown to comprise two power units, eaohf comprising afpcasing f2',fa rotore and acam wheel4 at yeachi side ot the casing `to operatethe, various val-ves `and?abutments, .The units arezid'entical, and it wil-11:. be understood that Where in1 the; de-l soription one alone isidescribed, thesdescrip tion.- applies equally to the: other.

extends; through :both the units and therelietween, thisbeingzalso true of the shaft 52 which is operatively associated, as hereto- Vtore.descrihed', with the slide valves, 1-8, this `latter shalt andi Iits connections. withv the 'ralyes ofthe two units being best shown in Fig. 5.

Ity will be units in any one machine may bei. variedeto vsuit the'.A conditions, and: that' the numb-er olf' Asolearly shown-in Fig.y 1, y,the shaft 24 ail-so in the openingof the exhaust 34 and lmderstoodl that the number of l able economy in operation and in manufac-V ture, and a substantial simplification over other forms oil engines lof this type.

I claim:

In a rotary engine ofy the type specified, the combination ot a rotor, a casing forming an annular chamber at the periphery of the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating With the chamber, abutments pivotally mountcdin the respective recesses and'adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections on the rotor con` stituting pistons adapted to operate in said chamber toV actuate the rotor in opposite directions,` levers connected with the respective abutments for oscillating them, cams .rotatable with the'rotor and adapted to engage the respective 'levers to oscillate the abutments in timed `relation With the rotation ot the rotor, a. rock shaft, and arms carried by therock shaft and adapted to engage the respective levers to move them and the corresponding abutments vrespectively out ofoperative positions When' the rock shaft is turned inV one direction or the other and manually operable means for turning said rock shaft.- Y

Q. In a rotary engine of the type specified, the combination of a rotor, a casing forms ing an annular chamber at the periphery ot the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating With the chamber, abutments pivotally mounted in the respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections'on the rotor constitutingr pistons adapted to operate in said chamber to act-nate the rotor in opposite directions, levers connected with the respective abutments for oscillating them and locatedv Vat opposite sides of the rotor, cams ,rotatable With the rotor `and adapted to engage the respective levers to oscillate the abutments in timed relation with the rotation or' the rotor, a rock shaft parallel with the aXis of the rotor, and arms carried by the rock shaftat opposite sides ot the rotor and adapted to engage the respective levers to move them and the cor. responding abutments respectively out of operative positions when the rock shaft is turned in one direction or the other and In a rotary engine of the type specified,

the combination of a rotor, a casing Vformingan annular chamber at the periphery of the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating with the chamber, abutments pivotally mounted in the respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections on the rotor constituting pistons adapted to operate in said chamber to actuate the rotor in opposite directions, levers-connected with the respective abutments for oscillatinv them, cams rotatable with the rotor and adapted to engage `the respective levers to oscillate the abutments in 'timed `relation with the rotation of the rotor. a rock shaft, arms carried by the rock shaft and adapted to engage the respective levers to move them and the corresponding abutments respectively out ot' operative positions when the rock shaft is turned in one direction or the other, a worm wheel carried by the rock shaft, a Worm meshing with the Worm Wheel, and. manually operable means for rotating the worm. Y f

4. In a rotary engine of the type specified, the combination of a rotor, a casing forming an annular chamber at the periphery of the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating with the chamber, abutments pivotally mounted in the respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out ofthe said chamber, projections on the rotor constituting pistons adapted to operate in said chamber to actuate the rotor in oppositeV directions, levers connected with the respective abutments for oscillating them, cams rotatable With the rotor and adapted to engage the respective levers to oscillate the abutments in timed relation withV the rotation of the rotor, means including a rock shaft for moving the levers and the corresponding abutments respectively out of operative positions when the rock shaft is turned in one direction or thevother, two separate exhaust valves communicating with the chamber, and

-means operated by theirock shaft for respectively opening and closing the exhaust valves in accordance with the movements of the abutments by the rock shaft.

5. -In a rotary engine of the type specified, the combination of a rotor, a casing forming an annular chamber at the periphery of the rotor and having separate recesses therein Y communicating with the chamber, abutments pivotally mounted in the respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections on the rotor constituting pistons adapted to operate in said chamber to actuatethe rotor in opposite directions, levers connected With the respective abutments for oscillating them, cams rotatable with the rotor and adapted to engage the respective levers to oscillate the abutmentsin timed relation with the rotation of the rotor, a rock shaft, arms carried by the rock shaft and adapted to engage the respective leversto move them and the corresponding abutments respectively out of operative positions when the rock shaft is turned in one direction or the other, tvvo separate exhaust valves communicating With the chamber, means operated by the rock shaft for respectively opening and closing the eX- haust valves in accordance with the movements of the abutments by the rock shaft, a Worm Wheel carried by the rock shaft, a Worm meshing with the Worm Wheel, and manually operable means for rotating the Worm.

6. In a rotary engine ofthe type specilied, the combination of a. rotor, a casing forming an annular chamber at the periphery of the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating with the chamber and having steam passages connected With the recesses, abutments pivotally mounted inthe respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections' on the rotor constituting pistons adapted to op-r erate in said chamber to actuate the rotor in opposite directions, levers connected with vthe respective abutments for oscillating them, cams rotatable with the rotor and adapted to engage the respective levers to oscillate the abutments in timed relation with the rotation of the rotor, cut-off valves in the respective steam passages, operating levers for the said valves, cams rotatable with the rotor and additional to the aforesaid cams for operating the last said levers, and means for moving the first said levers and the corresponding abutments respectively out of operative positions.

7. In a rot-ary engine of the type specilied, the combination of a rotor, a casing forming an annular chamber at the periphery oi. the rotor and having separate recesses therein communicating with the chamber and having -steam passages connected With the recesses,

abutments pivotally mounted in the respective recesses and adapted to oscillate into and out of the said chamber, projections on the rotor constituting pistons adapted to operate in said chamber to actuate the rotor in opposite directions, levers connected With the respective abutments for oscillating them, cams rotatable With the rotor and adapted to engage the respective levers to oscillate the abutments in timed relation With the rotation of the rotor, cut-ofi' valves in therespective steam passages, operating levers for the said valves, cams rotatable with the rotor and additional to the aforesaid cams for opera/ting the said levers, two separate exhaust valves communicating with the chamber, and means operated by the rock shaft for respectively opening and closing the exhaustvalves in accordance with the movements of the abutments by the rock shaft.

WILLIAM F. PAUL. 

